# Accident 20120614021799A: Robinson Helicopter Company R22 MARINER, Oak Island, NC, June 14, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 14, 2012, 16:37 local time
- Place: Oak Island, NC
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.8933° N, 78.0817° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8933&lon=-78.0817&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1089N, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1089N-2018-10-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R22 MARINER (registry code 7640115, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-mariner) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R22 MARINER
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 225 total, 220 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA12LA399](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA399) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120614021799A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ATLANTA CONTROL CENTER REPORTED A HELICOPTER CRASHING INTO THE OCEAN ABOUT .3 MILES OFF OF THE COAST OF OAK ISLAND, NC. IT WAS REPORTED THAT THERE WERE MINOR INJURIES AND THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN TOWED TO SHORE. THE PILOT WAS REPORTED AS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. I DISCOVERED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN RECOVERED FROM THE OCEAN AND WAS LOCATED IN YOUPON SERVICE CENTER, A RECOVERY LOT IN OAK ISLAND. UPON ARRIVAL AT YOUPON RECOVERY LOT I PERFORMED A GENERAL INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING WHICH I FOUND IDENTIFICATION AND PILOT CERTIFICATES FOR BOTH OCCUPANTS, TWO LIFE VESTS UNDER THE LEFT SEAT, THE AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE AND REGISTRATION FOR THE AIRCRAFT. PILOT LOG BOOKS WERE NOT FOUND. I PHOTOGRAPHED DOCUMENTATION AND SOME GENERAL SHOTS OF THE AIRCRAFT. I CONTINUED THE INVESTIGATION PHOTOGRAPHING AND DOCUMENTING THE FOLLOWING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE:1.ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE IS KINKED APPROX. 2/3 DISTANCE FROM BLADE TIP AND HAS A 2" GASH INTO THE CORE, ON THE UPPER SURFACE, APPROX. 12-15" FROM THE TIP.2.FLOOR/SIDEWALL STRUCTURE AND CENTER CONSOLE HAS SEPARATED FROM THE MAIN STRUCTURE JUST FORWARD OF BOTH SEATS.3.BELLY OF AIRCRAFT IS SEVERELY BUCKLED AND A LARGE PIECE OF SKIN IS MISSING FROM BELOW THE FLOOR, FORWARD OF THE SEATS.4.FLOOR (BEAM) STRUCTURE IS SEVERELY BUCKLED AND TORN.5.UPPER SKIN AND MAST COVER HAVE SEVERAL BUCKLES AND L/H SKIN SEAM BEHIND LEFT SEAT BACKREST IS SEPARATED.6.FIREWALL IS SEVERELY BUCKLED ALONG THE ENTIRE LOWER EDGE AND APPROX. 8-10' UP.7.LEFT SKID REAR MOUNT SEPARATED AT BEARING AND SKID ASSEMBLY MOVED FORWARD OF STRUCTURE AND DOWN APPROX 12".8.TAIL BOOM IS BUCKLED ON LOWER SIDE AT ATTACH POINT AND MAIN ROTOR IMPACTED TAIL BOOM WHILE ROTATING CAUSING A CUT APPROX. 50% THRU BOOM AND BUCKLING.^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED DURING THIS INTERVIEW THAT HE WAS THE PILOT WHEN THEY LEFT WILMINGTON AND THEY WERE "EXCHANGING FLIGHT CONTROLS", WHEN THEY WERE OVER THE OCEAN OFF THE COAST OF OAK ISLAND HE HANDED THE CONTROLS OVER TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AS SHE WANTED TO PERFORM THE AUTOROTATION. HE STATED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD ASKED SEVERAL TIMES IF SHE COULD DO AN AUTOROTATION WITH A POWER RECOVERY AND HE SAID HE TOLD HER HE DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA12LA399](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA399), Jun 14, 2012: Robinson Helicopter R22 Mariner (N1089N), Oak Island, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to properly execute the helicopter practice autorotation recovery, which resulted in a collision with the water.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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